Europe's Ryder Cup team warmed up for the pressure of facing the Americans by getting mocked by an impressionist.

Team captain Thomas Bjorn showed a ten-minute video in the team room where Conor Moore took off all 12 players – and their skipper – answering questions in fake press conferences.

This year's Open champion Francesco Molinari claims he was already trying to smile more after being pilloried for his deadpan delivery.

Bjorn said: “It is a week of high pressure, so you have got to have a bit of fun. That set a nice tone. You have got to laugh at yourself.

"You have got to laugh at yourself" in the pressure of Ryder Cup week, says Bjorn — who was also a Moore target (Image: AFP/Getty)

“It was a good atmosphere in the room yesterday. It might be one or two found a few truths about the way people look at them. I am not sure Justin will be showing his gold medal too much in the next few days!”

Ian Poulter said of Moore: “He took everyone off in the team, and it was extremely funny, I have to say. I can tell you it was probably ten minutes long, and it was hilarious. Just clips like that, which kind of help the team get together.

“Although we’re taking the mickey out of one another, it’s quite a good way to start the week off.

Molinari said he is trying to lighten up after seeing Moore's po-faced take on him (Image: AFP/Getty)

“Thomas made it out how it was a serious video, and then we had this press conference of Conor doing all these impressions. It was a nice little laugh for ten minutes.

“Fran’s was just hilarious. I think Fran’s has made me giggle for about ten hours now. Just trying to make how excited he was with his deadpan tone. It was perfect, really. It was absolutely spot on. Fran’s was definitely my favourite.”

The Italian admitted: “I’m actually thinking of it all the time now answering questions, trying to smile a bit more. 'Am I giving a new Francesco now?' Can’t you tell the difference?!”

Bjorn added: “I was included – there was a shower cap to show my bald head and some very large eyebrows. But they don’t need a video to take the mickey out of me.”